It is not Just About Serving Others, It’s About Delivering Results Too

That’s the beauty of servant leadership. It not only serves people; it also produces superior results.

We have covered a lot so far on the subject of servant leadership. Through the previous segments, we have learned many things about what a servant leaders look like, what attributes make up a servant leader, and how they can create engagement with those they serve. Those are all tremendous benefits from serving in this way. However, there is one additional outcome that everyone will ask about: does it deliver results? The answer - a resounding YES!Would you consider an 85% winning percentage over 38 years a positive result? How about 8 National Championships and 18 Final Four appearances in that same window of time? Developed more than 20% of the players coached to go on to perform at the highest level possible, with 50% of those players selected in the first round. All of those statistics sound like a winner. Someone who delivered results, consistently. That was Pat Summit, former head coach of the Lady Volunteers of Tennessee. She was an icon in the sport of women’s basketball and undeniably seen as a servant leader by those who knew her especially by those she coached.The stock price was down more than 30% in the past five years and at a record low. Sales were continuing to spiral downward year after year. There was discord between company leadership, the field teams, and the owners. The company was stagnant, and many had written it off. All of this in an industry that was still growing and in some instances thriving. Enter a new CEO who dared to serve. She employed the idea of servant leadership and built a culture where leaders served and put their teams first. Over a seven-year period the business reversed course and sales grew more than 25%, profits rose a whopping 40%, and market share improved from 14% to 21%. Additionally, the stock price rebounded to over $40 per share and owners, once disengaged, were reinvigorated, and began reinvesting in the business within several years. Soon after that, the brand was acquired by a larger corporation for almost $80 per share. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen made a remarkable rebound in the unforgiving fast food restaurant industry that few expected. All done through Cheryl Bachelder’s commitment to being a servant leader. She has written an excellent book, Dare to Serve that retells that journey as well as the key elements she used to create a culture of serving others as a leader.A culture of results comes from a commitment at the highest levels to servant leadership. Would you consider 45 straight years of profit, in one of the most challenging industries in the world a positive result? Frequently cited as one of the world’s best places to work as well as one of the highest rated customer satisfaction companies, Southwest Airlines has demonstrated that servant leadership is not just an individual sport. It is a culture. Southwest has had 3 CEOs over that 45-year time frame, and each has continued to build on the foundation that Herb Kelleher began in the 1970s. Gene Kelly continues it today, and the results continue to prove that a culture of respect and ‘luv’ as they refer to it at the company make it more than just a passing fad.These examples show that serving others can lead to more than a ‘warm fuzzy’ feeling within an organization or when working for a specific individual. Much as we stated earlier that servant leadership isn’t weak leadership, it is also not just about people; it is about results that come from inspiring those on the team to do great things.

Creating a culture of accountability

Servant leaders build an environment where people want to deliver on the expectations. They hold themselves to a higher standard. A servant leader creates the environment for that to happen and provides the coaching and tools for success. Accountability leads to lasting results. People do what they say they are going to do because they choose to make that a priority. I can think of nothing better than that when looking for ways to capture results.

Pushing others to be their best

Servant leaders are always looking to bring the best out ion those they serve. That alone will guarantee positive results. Continuous improvement by its nature means that positive results are evident. Listening, asking questions, exploring new ideas, or demonstrating quality behaviors are all ways that a servant leader will ensure they are seeking and helping to identify each person’s best contributions. And with that come the results that define the people and the company.Without question, there is a direct correlation between servant leadership and results. It comes from supporting those that make results possible. There are no businesses that achieve success without the people that work for it. The more those people can have the backing from those who lead them, the better the results will be. Leading people is all about providing a service to them. Taking that one step further and defining the role as not just service, but serving their development and success is what makes the positive results possible from a servant leadership mindset.How do you think you could positively impact results through servant leadership? Share your ideas in the comments section.Join other retail leaders in continuing their development journey with Effective Retail Leader.com. SUBSCRIBE today to receive leadership tips directly to your inbox and monthly newsletters that provide many tools to help further develop your leadership skills. JOIN NOW!No spam ever - just leadership goodness.